


Happiness is when you're right beside me.

by SilverInStars



Series: Feral!Steve [2]
Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff and Mush, M/M, Nesting, Oblivious Tony Stark, Protective Steve Rogers, Steve wants all the cuddles, Tony is Pining, feral steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-07-25
Packaged: 2019-06-16 02:58:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15427527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverInStars/pseuds/SilverInStars
Summary: "He's been operating instinctually so far, with the way he perceived Jan to be a threat, and the whole-" Tony waved his arm about the lab. " -and right now he's-well, I think he's- nesting."





	Happiness is when you're right beside me.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fluffypanda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fluffypanda/gifts).



> Panda! You get another part, cause I wanted to write more for SLS but couldn't fit it within the deadline. So here you go, more Feral Steve. 
> 
> Big big BIG THANK YOU to my beta @wynnesome without whom this fic would have been unreadable. All the remaining errors are mine.

"I thought the antidote was supposed to cure him!" Tony whispered harshly into the tablet he held in his hand.

Hank looked back at him in exasperation from the HD display. They had managed to set up a video chat when it became clear that Steve wasn't going to let Tony get within two feet of the lab doors.

"You do realize that regular medical research doesn't exactly deal with 'how do I make Captain America stop acting like an overgrown puppy?'" Hank grumbled, brandishing the tiny vial with the failed antidote at Tony. "It's going to take me a couple of iterations to reverse whatever chemical Doom infected the Captain with. Consider it for a moment, Tony. This is a pathogen that managed to work effectively against Steve's serum. Even if we hypothesize that the serum prevented any major conditions, and this is just a remnant side effect, it's still a very aggressive formula."

Tony huffed. "Just, I don't know, figure something out, Hank." He shifted a bit to the side as a pillow was stuffed under his left butt cheek. He lowered his voice again, "He's been acting weirder by the hour, and I'm kind of starting to, maybe, worry. A lot. I know Black Widow and Hawkeye are on the hunt for Doom, but I really don't know how much more of this I can handle."

Hank perked up with the interest any scientist would take when on the verge of a discovery. "What do you mean?" Tony watched him pull out a notebook and pen. How primitive, "It's feasible that the solution to his condition is in his behavior itself. "

Tony felt a little wary about that. "I don't know Hank, I don't think Cap would be very pleased with anyone else knowing about his recent...activities." This time it was a rolled up blanket pushed behind Tony's back. The support was quite nice, actually. He rearranged himself a little, and then sunk into comfort.

Hank frowned at him. "Cap may not appreciate it, but I think he would like it even less if we didn't manage to cure him, don't you think?"

Tony sighed, and then looked left to right warily, before lowering his head towards the screen.

"He's been operating instinctually so far, with the way he perceived Jan to be a threat, and the whole-" he waved his arm about the lab. " -and right now he's-well, I think he's _nesting_."

Hank's expression went carefully blank, but not quickly enough for Tony to miss the humor that sliced through it in spare seconds. A shrill giggle made itself known from the speakers, and Jan poked her head into view beside Hank.

"Oh, Tony, that's adorable, darling," she cooed. "Is that what the lovely pile of cushions and sheets you're encased in is about?"

Tony reddened. "Figure it out Hank," he ordered sharply, and cut the line. There was no point in continuing the conversation if Jan was just going to make fun of them.

During his conversation with Hank, Steve had left Tony to his own devices. He kept himself busy gathering all the soft material and pillows he could find in the lab. Even Tony’s scattered laundry(tank tops, a lot of tank tops) and unwashed lab rags were added to the growing collection. Heck, a while ago Steve had ripped Tony’s curtains off their hinges. The reason Tony had curtains in the first place was part of the elaborate competition he and Steve had going on. After Tony had found the supplemental Vitamin D pills overflowing from his toolbox, courtesy Steve, he set to work and built a high tech window in the lab. It had full spectrum lights during daytime, and a scenery that changed depending on the hour. Tony was quite proud of it. ( _He did not need to leave the lab to get his vitamin D, Steve_ ). Now, the bare window simulated the soft light of the evening sunset.

So when Steve found something he was satisfied with, he returned to Tony and arranged the item around him. Tony didn’t know whether or not he should be glad that Jarvis’ mother hen tendencies caused him to squirrel away extra blankets and pillows into the lab since Tony slept there often enough.

Steve’s behavior was recent. It had started about an hour ago, and Tony hadn't really realized what was going on until Steve had pulled down Tony’s curtains and tried to bundle him up in them.

So yes, not only was Steve nesting, but he was nesting for Tony.

He seemed to tire of digging around the lab after a while, and came back to snuggle up to Tony's side. They were situated on the floor, in the corner of the lab, now. That was another thing. Steve got really anxious about Tony getting anywhere near the doors. He had herded Tony further and further away as the time had passed until they were all the way at the opposite end of the room from the exit. And then, the nesting had begun.

The hair on the top of Steve's head brushed the bottom of Tony's chin as he tried to get comfortable in the little hovel. Tony didn't move an inch as the frustration began to build up on Steve's face again. He’d realized at some point that this Steve was driven purely by instinct. Steve didn't understand what he wanted to do, until he did it. Steve also liked to be able to maneuver Tony around, he seemed to find comfort in being the one in charge of the situation.

Finally, after agitating himself a bit more, Steve reached out to Tony and pulled him into his lap. Tony would like to say he had gotten better with the manhandling. At least he didn't flail around like a fish out of water anymore when Steve touched him. Steve was Tony's best friend. They spent a lot of time together. They sat next to each other during movie nights, and liked to cuddle when the lights went off. But that had always been casual, just two friends hanging out. Or that's what it was for Steve. Tony had been trying not to examine his own emotions too closely.

Now, Steve had his arms around Tony's waist and they were pressed flush against each other, Tony's back against Steve's front. Steve nudged his nose against the nape of Tony's neck and Tony's skin erupted in a multitude of goosebumps. The gesture incited a shiver up his spine, and Steve rumbled in content.

"Hey Steve," Tony couldn't help asking. "are you in there?" He rubbed the tips of his fingers along Steve's forearm feeling unguarded as the question hung between them. "I don't get it. Why are you so afraid to leave the lab, Steve? And you like Jan right, so what's up with that?" Steve whined in response and buried his face into the nook between Tony's shoulder and neck.

"As much as I'd like to, and God I hope you forget I’m saying this, we can't actually stay holed up in here forever, Cap. If Hank can't figure out an antidote soon, I'm gonna have to do something myself. And the missions-"

The words sparked something in Steve and he flipped them over. The bulk of his body a hefty weight that held Tony in place. He pulled his upper lip back and snarled, not threatening, Steve didn't have the capacity for that, not even like this, but in warning. His hair fell over his forehead, and despite the animalistic expression, his eyes were pleading. And this was a completely inappropriate moment for Tony to get turned on, but he felt himself harden in his jeans.

 _Fuck fuck fuck fuck_ \- "Okay, alright, no more mission talk. That's another taboo, apparently. Alright. Okay. Changing the topic, I'm good at that. No one better than Tony Stark at avoiding serious talk." Steve leaned forward and bit the tip of Tony's nose, gently. Tony went cross-eyed for a second. Steve's eyes were so blue, and they were filled with endearment towards Tony. And that was the thing, with Steve acting the way he was, it was so easy for Tony to think that maybe Steve lov-

_Okay, Tony, you are not going to impose your damn fantasies on Steve while he's drugged up and not in his right mind. Neither are you going to hold anything he does now to any expectations later. Steve is your best friend. Remember that._

Steve's hand had found its way under Tony's shirt and was now petting his bare stomach. Tony turned his head to groan into the crook of his arm, and all he heard was a hiss from Steve, before he nibbled at the junction of Tony's neck.

Tony couldn't suppress the moan that passed his lips, but then he was scuttling away from Steve, hand slapped over his neck and eyes wide in shock. "Wh-What-why-no! Steve!"

Steve licked his lips, like Tony was a treat. And Tony shook his head, "No, nope, no way. Overgrown puppy or not, we are gonna have a talk now. Bad Steve."

Tony's dick ached painfully.

Bad Tony.


End file.
